Welcome Back!

Dear Salle 101 families,
I hope you had a fun week off (from school at least). I've heard about lots of trips, visits, movies, projects and loose teeth!! Each student not only told our class what they did en français, but also wrote it in their journal.

A reminder that we are supposed to  will go to the library next Monday. I didn't check pochettes today, but so far I haven't heard from any volunteers. I won't be able to take the kids on my own, so please let me know if you are available next Monday afternoon. Thanks!

Just before the break, we had been working on some open-ended math problems (where there are multiple approaches and solutions) and discussing our strategies. Our problems centered around organizing counters in ways that would make it easy to tell which colour had more or less (plus/moins) or in a way that would make it easier to estimate/count the total number. Students worked in pairs on these tasks and came up with some great strategies, which they presented to the class. We have started building a "good ideas" board, where we name helpful strategies after the students who thought of them. We can all look to this board for a good idea during future problem solving.

If you would like to learn more about open-ended problem solving, or get some ideas for math activities to try at home, please join us next Wednesday, March 27th from 6:30-7:30 pm in the gym for our interactive Family Math Night. Don't forget to bring your student!

During our centre time, we have been trying out group rotations as a way to mix things up a little. Students stick with their assigned groups and move through 4 centres for 10 minutes each during the block of time. This gets them trying out activities they don't always self-select and playing with different friends. The challenges are the added transitions - having to tidy up quickly each time the timer dings, not having that long at each centre, and possibly missing one entirely if you have a meeting with Mlle. So far, this system has been very successful and the kids have been enjoying the variety of activities they get to try. We still have free choice lots of the time, but centre rotations are my new favourite thing!
Below, one group tries to line up all the animals according to size while another group compares lengths with Mme Diamond.

These vacationers are drinking juice on an airplane and below, 2 kids try out dino-soccer!

Ask your expert how we divided the dinosaurs into teams!

Outside, when there was still snow, we went hunting for numbers in nature. This body is shaped like a 7.

We have been enjoying the sunshine this week and have been able to get out some books and toys that we haven't seen in a while!

Here are some every day words to review:

s’il te plaît

j’ai  fini

un garçon

une fille

When talking about March break, we all said and wrote: Je suis allé(e)...

Hope to see you next Wednesday evening!

Constellation writing

Hello!
Our ROM guide gave us a great suggestion for a follow-up activity: to write about what we imagine when we look at the stars (just as the Greeks, the First Nations and many other cultures have).

I found a great star map, marked with the same constellations we saw when we were in the planetarium. Each astronomer studied their map, tracing the lines that made a picture in their mind. Then, we wrote about what we saw. We had crabs, snakes, snowflakes, houses and lots more. Ask your astronomer what she/he saw in the stars!

Here are some space words to go along with our field trip and writing:

la Terre

le soleil

la lune

une étoile

l’espace

We were already busy with another writing task last week, writing about how we were feeling and why. We had a little emoticon menu to choose from and we attempted to write neatly on some lines, keeping words together.

Recently, I have also taught the kids how to play the games in the app "Jeux Pour Lire". There are 4 little circus games that encourage us to listen and look for sounds and syllables. The kids are loving it so far, and are able to play on their own. Think about adding it to your home devices!

We had one last gymnastics period on Friday. Such fun! Here are some pics...

Last week I sent home the March calendar. There may be one after school event near the end of the month that is yet to be scheduled, so keep your eye out for that. Of course, March break is coming up, so please let me or the office know if there will be any additional absences, in order to avoid annoying automated calls. Don't forget to remind your child about their show & tell Friday. I'm the worst at reminding them, but it is on our class calendar! There are no activity bags coming home this week due to March Break. You'll get your next one on Monday the 18th.

If I don't see you, have a wonderful March Break!